Have you ever thought about blogging about your passion so that you could share your secrets and improve the lives of others? That is exactly what Lindsey Mozgai does. She is a blogger, gamer, and frugality expert at And the Kitchen Sink.
After finishing college, the workaday world failed to call to her. Instead, her life moved towards sharing her techniques for living a financially frugal and personally meaningful life. Many writers began writing at an early age. In early elementary school, creative people begin jotting down their thoughts and ideas into poems and stories. When did you know that you were born to write?
I’ve been writing since I can remember, but the first memory I have of writing dates back to about 5th grade. My class got the opportunity to have something they wrote made into a physical hard back book. Thus produced my first ever “book” The Jazzy Donkey and other out of this world poems. I always wrote poems and short stories growing up, but at the time I never thought of turning it into a career.
When I started applying for colleges, I had originally intended to pursue a career as an operating room nurse. I remember going for an orientation for nursing students and when I saw the minimum GPA required, I realized I needed to seriously rethink my life plan. I had always liked writing and I really didn’t know what else to pick so I decided to pursue a degree in journalism. To say this degree was a good fit would have been an extreme understatement. Those four years of school have done more for me than probably anything else I will ever experience. It taught me what I did and didn’t like about writing. I learned that I don’t do well in corporate environments and that I need to be able to express my creativity to enjoy what I’m writing. Did you have an influential person, teacher, or writer in your life who encouraged you to express yourself with writing or some other form of creativity?
There was not one person in particular who influenced my writing, but I don’t think I could have made it where I am today without the support from my friends, coworkers, family, and professors. They encouraged me to pursue my dreams and follow my own path. In fact, it was my Fiance who encouraged me to start my own blog.
Why did you choose frugality for your website’s focus? What about frugality is important and worth sharing with others?
When I first started blogging, I was looking for a creative outlet that wasn’t being fulfilled by my current job. It wasn’t till later that frugality became my blog’s focus. My fiancé and I moved in together and within just a few months we were struggling to stay under budget. I realized we needed to seriously rethink our priorities and what was important.
At the same time, my job left me feeling unfulfilled and I felt surrounded by meaningless stuff. I sought out a frugal lifestyle in search for a more meaningful life, and one where I could pursue my life goals. As a writer, how do you approach a blog post? What does your writing process look like? What challenges do you face within in your writing process and how do you overcome them?
My process is described in a question below. Some challenges I face as a blogger is not feeling up to writing a post some days. Some days it’s hard enough just getting through the day. When this happens, It’s great to have that cushion as I mention later of blog posts ready to go so if I need a day off, I can take one. If I need to be focusing on social media or another task, I’m able to because I plan a month out. As of right now, I have posts scheduled as far ahead as the end of this month.
Many writers venture into a variety of writing styles and genres. For example, one writer may focus on essays for academic purposes and on stories for creative development. What are your genres and styles and how do you use them to further your own professional development as a writer?
I can write about a variety of topics and while my blog covers mostly personal finance topics, I do write for a couponing, marriage, and two family websites regularly. I wouldn’t say there is really any specific style or genre that I focus on, but I typically focus on blog articles.
Different writers use a variety of processes to accomplish their writing tasks. What does your writing schedule look like? Is there anything you do to get yourself ready to write?
I work a Monday-Friday schedule so I make sure that each of those days, I am getting something written. This may be a newsletter or a blog post, but I am writing content each and every work day. I am most productive in the mornings so this is when I try to sit down and crank out a few posts.
Some writers have changed the writing process to fit their own needs and personalities. For many, following the traditional writing process—brainstorm, plan, draft, edit, perfect—has served them well. Others have transformed the process to fit their own needs. What does your writing process look like and what part of that appeals the most to you?
My writing process varies greatly on the topic but it usually goes something like this:
You recently graduated from school. How did the writing process, research process, and supporting thesis statements help you in your learning and development as an academic?
Nothing I learned in college really helped me much in my blogging career. I think that a lot of people assume that you need a degree or fancy education or training to do this but you don’t! If you are passionate about something, and love to write, that’s all you need. The more you write, the better you will become.
You work as a finance coach. How does that work in a virtual environment and how do you help people to reach their goals?
I am able to help others reach their goals by providing them helpful suggestions and tips to common problems with budgeting, frugal living, and the everyday pitfalls that life throws at you. My unique experiences have given me insight into some of the things that do and don’t work, and I want to share those experiences with my readers in hopes that they won’t make the same mistakes I did.
Writing can be a lonely business. Sometimes writers work with critique groups, writing partners, or writing workshops to keep themselves motivated and improve their writing abilities. What do you recommend for writers to go from being novice writers to competent writers?
For any writer looking to improve their skills or just keep up with what’s new and what’s going on, I would highly recommend following a number of blogs and people in your niche. Not only will they serve as a constant inspiration, but many of them have courses and printables to help you continue your education! I can’t tell you how many great resources I’ve gotten from that alone! Also, I would highly recommend looking into books on business and writing. You can find a lot of steals for 99 cents- $1 for some of them.
A million thank yous to Lindsey Mozgai from And the Kitchen Sink! We appreciate her sharing her expertise of blogging, writing, and living her dream as a purpose-focused writer.
Lindsey can be found at andthekitchensink.net Related Blog PostsComments are closed.
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September 2023
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